This invention relates generally to a selector valve for controlling flow through a fluid supply line and more particularly to the use of such a valve to selectively predetermine the amount of liquid additive supplied to a proportioner-actuated water line.
It is very common to provide liquid chemicals in concentrated form so that they must be diluted with water prior to use. In particular, this applies to cleaning chemicals and it is conventional to connect a line from a liquid chemical supply to a pushbutton-controlled proportioner which is attached to a water supply such as a water faucet. The proportioner, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,086, is actuated by depressing a button and water from the faucet creates a negative pressure which draws chemical into the proportioner for blending or mixing with the water, the dilutant mix being discharged from the proportioner into a container such as a cleaning pail. By placing a selector valve between the liquid chemical supply and the proportioner it is possible to control the flow of liquid chemical from the supply and therefore determine the degree of dilution more accurately than is possible using the proportioner alone.
Selector valves are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,163 discloses a selector valve which can be used to provide a stationary input port connected to one of a choice of several output ports. A rotary valve member is provided having a single port connected to the output ports by means of a stationary annular cage having sealed openings. With this device multiple output ports are required.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,049 discloses an oscillatory valve by which one of several selected inlet lines is connected to an outlet line through the medium of a rotating valve member having an arrangement of radial passages and a cooperating housing. When one of the passages is aligned to connect the chosen inlet with the outlet the other passages are closed by the valve housing. With this valve multiple inlet ports are required and the aim is not to control flow rate from a supply but rather to select a particular supply.